With WW2 veterans as scarce as analog powerbands, try to swing by your local VFW and recognize some true badass.
One of the stories covering it said this will be the last major anniversary where any of the vets are present. Sad to think about that.
Watched some of this on BBC today. https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/201...r-duxford-to-mark-the-75th-d-day-anniversary/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...n-their-90s-parachute-into-normandy-once-more https://www.daksovernormandy.com/airborne-jumps/
There are some cool videos from the UK media on YouTube The one from Channel 4 brought a tear to my eye, it’s a shame I lost the old man a year or so ago, As veteran of the time & I think the day he would have loved being part of this
I actually met one last week while getting my morning coffee at the local Royal Farms. Old guy in his Veteran baseball hat with the ribbons indicating his decorations. LOVE the old guys in those caps. I ALWAYS take a moment to ask them where they served. Anyway, he was wearing a TShirt that said, "So when does this old enough to know better stuff kick in?" I first commented on his shirt...he walked outside and sat down at an outside table. I looked over an then realized his hat said "World War II Veteran"...I was like OH SHIT I gotta talk to this guy! Turned out he was 92 freakin' years old! Served in the Navy at Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He said, "The service's been pretty good to me...I'm still here!" Old man's a bad ass....card carrying, dues paid, and board certified. I truly felt like I was in the presence of Greatness defined.
My Dad flew in B-24's in the Pacific theater. He never brought up stories and I was too dumb to ask. At his funeral some of his remaining friends told me stories though. One of those regrets that I wish I could change.
Dad was a tail gunner in B-29. He was scheduled to go to the Pacific until they dropped the bomb. I had one uncle at Normandy and two others at Iwo Jima. One that turned around and joined the Marines after his hitch with the Army was over. They were serious badasses, and never talked much about it.
I'm currently in The Netherlands. Front page story on the local papers I saw this morning. My Airbnb host, where I also stayed two years ago, has a small Airborne flag outside the house. Last time I was here I told them about my father jumping down nearby as a member of the 82nd Airborne (Operation Market Garden, not D-Day). I just wish it was an 82nd flag, not the 101st. :--)
Hats off to all the men and women who fought to free the world from the tyranny of evil men. And happy birthday to my late sister, who would be 52 today.
Much respect. The stories are dramatic and the lesson should be learned. Lets hope no one ever forgets.
I can't imagine what it took for those men to take that beach, along with all the other operations that day, and the months/years to come. Sterner stuff, those heroes.......
Yeah they went in knowing there was going to be horrific loss of life...and they didn’t hesitate to do their jobs. Mad respect to them and anyone else who defends our freedom with their lives.
Few of those guys are still hanging around the AF museum in Dayton, OH. Plus you can touch the plane that ended WWII.